Sooners Rather Than Later, New Mexico Football Should Put Away Mercyhurst
If anyone says they are worried about the Lakers this week, they’re either lying or living in Los Angeles.
Outside the confines of the University of New Mexico football complex, it may already be on the week three trip to No. 11 Oklahoma.
That makes Saturday’s game against FCS foe Mercyhurst an exercise in focus within the Lobo football program.
Not that UNM has a stellar modern-day record against FCS foes. A 2006 loss to Portland State. A 2011 loss to Sam Houston State. A 2024 loss to Montana State.
Even last season, the Lobos had a huge struggle in week two against FCS foe Idaho State, rallying from a five-point, fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Bengals 32-22.
That game was Jason Eck’s first home victory at UNM in only his second game as Lobo coach. The team really hadn’t fostered an identity and certainly didn’t improve upon its from its 2025-opening performance at nationally ranked Michigan.
This year, UNM is labeled a Mountain West power, having beaten FBS foe Central Michigan by 31 in the 2026 opener.
Mercyhurst, meanwhile, is 0-2, in its third season at the FCS level, having lost 51-14 to New Mexico State last week in Las Cruces.
The school from Erie, Pa., with the basketball nickname – the Lakers – sounds like a fictional hospital on a network television drama.
“We’ve got to get the Coach Eck discharged from Mercyhurst General, stat.”
The plot almost writes itself.
After opening his weekly media conference on Monday by saying the Lobos’ focus this week is on themselves, Eck allowed a glimpse of candor about the opponent that comes in as a 40.5-point underdog.
(That margin also has to be the largest in … x amount of time that should be another Eck talking point for Lobo media relations sometime this week.)
Photo: Ryan Kelly-Romero/R&R Sports Photography
“I think it’s safe to say I wouldn’t be real thrilled if we beat this team by 10 points and had to come back in the fourth quarter,” Eck said of the Lakers. "I don’t think we’re playing up to our potential if that happens.”
Yeah … he said that.
Barring a colossal collapse Saturday, the season unfolds almost perfectly for the 1-0 Lobos heading into week three.
They played more than 70 players last week in the win over the Chippewas, the most in Eck’s tenure. Saturday should be another opportunity to get scores of players valuable game experience before the glare of the Sept. 19 spotlight at Oklahoma.
The Sooners, meanwhile, are on the road this week to play now infamous Michigan. The Wolverines should be slightly motivated after their fans incredulously stormed the field following a second-chance Hail Mary prayer that was answered in a 13-12 win over … Western Michigan.
And the week after the Lobos visit Norman, the Sooners are back on the road to face No. 2 Georgia.
Look up the definition of “trap game” – it says “see UNM-Oklahoma 2026 football game.”
No plan is perfect, however, and the Lobos have had to deal with injuries leading up to the Mercyhurst game.
Right guard Jaymar Tasi, wide receivers Shawn Miller and Massiah Mingo, tight end Tripp Walsh are nursing injuries, Linebacker Jaxton Eck also was banged up vs. Central Michigan, and the Lobos already lost starting quarterback Jack Layne for the season after undergoing a second offseason surgery on his throwing elbow.
That makes New Mexico booting the Lakers to basketball season imperative with minimal further aches and pains so it can focus on Oklahoma much … sooner.
The Lobos’ pie-in-the-sky FBS playoff hopes depend on it.
From humiliating FCS upsets to statement road victories, the Mountain West turned into absolute chaos last weekend. While conference newcomers North Dakota State continued their dominant FBS transition by dismantling Air Force, stalwarts like UNLV hit an unexpected brick wall, and two other programs suffered embarrassing home drops to lower-subdivision foes. But amidst the wreckage, a few programs took care of business, racked up record-setting blowouts, and found their footing.
Here are the top five takeaways from a wild, unraveling week of Mountain West college football with Colton Pool.